Sinclair Renews Affiliation With CBS in Four Markets

Sinclair Broadcast Group reached a new multi-year affiliation deal with CBS covering four of its stations.

The Sinclair stations renewed their participation in CBS All Access, the streaming subscription video service, and are committed to having their signals available on YouTube TV.

CBS also agreed to assign the CBS affiliation to Sinclair for the Tribune Media stations Sinclair is acquiring.

“We believe that the network-affiliate model provides great benefits to both parties and are pleased to have the value of this symbiotic relationship continued to be reflected in our relationship,” said Barry Faber, Sinclair’s executive VP for distribution and network relations.

The Sinclair stations covered by the new agreement are KUTV Salt Lake City, KEYE Austin, Texas, WSBT South Bend, Ind., and WGFL Gainesville, Fla. The stations cover about 8% of the U.S. and serve more than nine million households.

Sinclair owns CBS affiliates in 24 markets, including the four covered by the new agreement.

“We are pleased we have reached this agreement with our longtime and valued partner, Sinclair," said Ray Hopkins, president of network distribution for the CBS Television Network. “In renewing this deal, it is clear that Sinclair recognizes the value that the most watched Network’s popular programming brings to the viewers in each market and to their business as a whole."

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.